Will Sarosdy Award
The Will Sarosdy Award is bestowed on one or more graduating seniors who have demonstrated impressive athletic achievement, extraordinary teamwork, and remarkable leadership during their years on the Chesterbrook Swim Team. Together with the Duffner Award, the Will Sarosdy Award is the highest honor that a Chesterbrook swimmer can receive. Based on input from the coaching staff, team reps, team members, and the Chesterbrook community, the Will Sarosdy Award will be announced at the end of a swim season when a worthy candidate or candidates merit the honor.
The award was created to honor Will Sarosdy, who swam for Chesterbrook from the early 1990s until 2002. Over his many years as a Tiger Shark, Will earned a reputation as a tireless worker, a motivating teammate, and a formidable competitor. He was admired and respected throughout his participation in the age groups. He encouraged younger swimmers to excel in their technique and adopt his boundless enthusiasm. His fierce love for and dedication to the Chesterbrook community were infectious.
Will’s family moved to Austin, Texas, before his junior year. He flourished in high school where his accomplishments earned him a place on The University of Texas at Austin Men’s Swimming and Diving Team. At Texas, Will fulfilled a childhood dream by training under the auspices of United States Olympic Swim Coach Eddie Reese and alongside current, former, and future U.S. Olympians. Will reached the pinnacle of United States competition when he competed in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the Men’s 100-meter backstroke.
Upon Will’s retirement from competitive swimming, he became a coach, impassioned by his belief that the principles that he learned from swimming could encourage individuals to improve their own lives. Will recognized that swimming is more than competition -- it is about developing lifelong friendships and core values, including discipline, integrity, and self-respect. It is about helping others to learn and improve. It is about being one’s best and bringing out the best in others
After his untimely passing in 2006, the Will Sarosdy Award was created in memory of his extraordinary contribution to Chesterbook, to encourage future generation of Tiger Sharks to aspire to embrace his spirit, his fire, and his love of swimming.
Endless is our Will.
